Automaker’s innovative infotainment system delivers one of the most intelligent voice assistants on the road, including a new level of personalization
Cerence, AI for a world in motion, announced that Mercedes-Benz has chosen Cerence to power voice technology in the second generation of its intuitive, high-tech multimedia system, MBUX – Mercedes-Benz User Experience. Leveraging Cerence’s AI-driven technologies, MBUX is one of the most intelligent and personalized voice assistants on the road, serving as a concierge in the dashboard that caters to a wide range of driver and passenger needs.
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Activated with a simple “Hey Mercedes” and powered by conversational AI and natural language understanding from Cerence, MBUX offers drivers a natural way to access and interact with an array of content and services ranging from productivity to comfort. With the ability to do everything from composing emails and finding the nearest sushi restaurant to changing the in-cabin temperature and requesting a seat massage, this next-level voice system delivers an exceptional experience in an easy-to-use, voice-powered interface.
New to this second generation of MBUX is enhanced personalization and security leveraging a variety of biometric technologies, including voice biometrics from Cerence. This enables quick access to personalized settings, from navigation and multimedia preferences to seat position and the perfect temperature, all with identification by voice. In addition, MBUX now features voice recognition from all seats thanks to microphones that enable the system to tell which seat a voice is coming from and speech signal enhancement technology from Cerence, allowing for a personalized experience for all passengers and for enhanced communication features like multi-seat phone calling.
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New and extended functions of the next-generation MBUX system powered by Cerence include:
- Interactive introduction to MBUX and guidance for set-up and saving of personalized preferences.
- Natural language understanding (NLU) in 27 languages and understanding of indirect commands (for example, the user can say “I’m cold” and MBUX will increase the in-cabin temperature). This allows drivers to converse naturally with the assistant, enabling them to interrupt when needed to speed up commands and access to information. In addition, drivers can continue a completed dialog with additional commands, giving several instructions at once that can be carried out one after the other.
- Integration of embedded and cloud speech for quick and accurate interaction with the assistant, even in areas of low connectivity.
- Handwriting recognition that enables drivers to write out a command or message via MBUX’s touch screen interface.
- Deeper integration with smart home technology and a new smart car manual called Explore me, powered by Cerence Studio, an innovative, web-based developer platform that allows automakers to design and develop custom voice domains, creating their own uniquely branded experience for drivers. The Smart Home domain developed by Mercedes-Benz allows customers to control their appliances at home via voice while driving. With Explore me, drivers can ask about in-car features and functions like where the first aid kit is located or how to pair their smartphone via Bluetooth.
- Enhanced knowledge about the outside world through Mercedes-Benz’s Travel Knowledge feature, powered by Cerence Look.
- A wide range of new cloud functionality with the latest content, such as sports news, stock prices, and general knowledge questions.
- Enhanced in-cabin communication between drivers and passengers through a specialized intercom system and dedicated microphones.
- Ability to perform certain actions without the “Hey Mercedes” wakeup word, including answering a phone call or displaying the navigation map.
“We are proud to be an integral piece of the incredible MBUX system, which delivers an exceptional experience for Mercedes-Benz customers wherever the road takes them,” said Sanjay Dhawan, CEO of Cerence Inc. “MBUX showcases the power and intelligence of an automotive voice assistant when it’s built with the right technologies and supported by decades of expertise and experience in the space.”
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